Non-transitory computer readable storage medium, control method, and mobile terminal

ABSTRACT

A mobile terminal displays a guide screen for causing a printing apparatus to participate in a wireless network in which the mobile terminal is participating. An SSID of an access point to which the mobile terminal is connected is displayed.

BACKGROUND Field

The present disclosure relates to a non-transitory computer readablestorage medium, a control method, and a mobile terminal.

Description of the Related Art

A mobile terminal including wireless LAN functionality can be connectedto an access point to perform a search for a printing apparatus throughthe access point. The mobile terminal can then transmit a print job tothe printing apparatus designated by a user from among the searchresults. The printing apparatus that receives the print job can performa print process based on the received print job on a sheet. JapanesePatent Laid-Open No. 2014-11671 discloses a configuration in which amobile terminal connects sequentially to a plurality of access points toperform a search for a printing apparatus through the plurality ofaccess points.

A user can transmit a print lob from a mobile terminal to the printingapparatus in front of the user. In this case, in order for the mobileterminal to search and find the printing apparatus, the printingapparatus may be required to participate in the wireless LAN network inwhich the mobile terminal is participating. However, the printingapparatus may not participate in the wireless LAN network in which themobile terminal is participating, or the printing apparatus primarilymay not connect to any access point. In this case, the printingapparatus cannot be found through the search performed by the mobileterminal.

SUMMARY

According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a non-transitorycomputer readable storage medium for storing a computer program forcausing a computer of a mobile terminal to execute a control method, thecontrol method includes an obtaining step of obtaining an SSID of anaccess point to which the mobile terminal is connected; and a screendisplaying step of displaying, in accordance with receiving a screendisplay instruction for displaying a guide screen for causing a printingapparatus to participate in a wireless network in which the mobileterminal is participating, the guide screen, wherein the SSID obtainedin the obtaining step is displayed in the guide screen.

Further features will become apparent from the following description ofexemplary embodiments with reference to the attached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a hardware configuration of a mobile terminal.

FIG. 2 illustrates a software configuration of the mobile terminal.

FIGS. 3A to 3D illustrate screens to be displayed on the mobileterminal.

FIGS. 4A and 4B illustrate screens to be displayed on the mobileterminal.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating processing to be executed by themobile terminal.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Exemplary embodiments for implementing the present disclosure will bedescribed below with reference to drawings. It should be understood thatthe following embodiments are not intended to limit aspects of thepresent disclosure and that all of combinations of features according tothe embodiments are not necessarily required for implementation of theaspects of the present disclosure.

Embodiments

First, with reference to FIG. 1, a hardware configuration of a mobileterminal 100 will be described. The mobile terminal 100 according to anembodiment is assumed to be a smart phone. However, embodiments of thepresent disclosure are applicable to an apparatus including wireless LANfunctionality and any other apparatuses such as a digital camera, adigital game machine, and a laptop personal computer (PC).

A CPU 101 is configured to read out a control program stored in a flashmemory 103 and to execute various processes for controlling operationsof the mobile terminal 100. A RAM 102 is usable as a temporary storagearea such as a main memory and a work area for the CPU 101. The flashmemory 103 can be a nonvolatile storage medium configured to store acontrol program for the mobile terminal 100 and various kinds of datasuch as images and electronic documents.

While the present embodiment is described with one CPU 101 in the mobileterminal 100 configured to execute processes illustrated in a flowchartdescribed below, other configurations are also applicable. For example,a plurality of CPUs can cooperate with each other to execute processesillustrated in the below-described flowchart.

Some processes in the below-described flowchart can be executed by ahardware circuit such as an ASIC.

A control panel 104 includes a touch panel function that detects a touchoperation performed by a user and is configured to display screens. Auser can input a touch operation through the control panel 104 to inputa desired instruction to the mobile terminal 100. The mobile terminal100 can include a hardware key (not illustrated) so that a user can usethe hardware key to input an operating instruction to the mobileterminal 100.

A speaker 106 and a microphone 107 can be used by a user to maketelephone calls. A camera 108 is configured to capture an image inresponse to an image-capture instruction from a user. The image capturedby the camera 108 is stored in a predetermined area in the flash memory103.

A Bluetooth® I/F 109 is configured to implement Bluetooth® wirelesscommunication. An NFC I/F 110 is configured to implement near fieldradio communication (NFC).

A wireless LAN I/F 105 is configured to implement IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/acwireless LAN communication. The wireless LAN I/F 105 can connect to anexternal access point to participate in a wireless LAN network includingthe access point.

A software configuration of the mobile terminal 100 will be describedwith reference to FIG. 2. FIG. 2 is a functional block diagramimplemented by a control program stored in the flash memory 103 andexecuted by the CPU 101.

An OS 201 is a software application configured to control operationsperformed by the mobile terminal 100. Various applications including aprint application 202, which will be described below, can be installedin the mobile terminal 100. The OS 201 can control operations of themobile terminal 100 in response to an instruction from an application ora user's operating instruction input through the control panel 104.

The print application 202 is configured to provide a print function to auser. The print application 202 can instruct the OS 201 to perform asearch for a printing apparatus, generate a print job, and transmit thegenerated print job. The mobile terminal 100 also includes variousapplications in addition to the print application 202, but descriptionsof these other applications is omitted.

User operating procedures and screens displayed on the mobile terminal100 will be described with reference to FIGS. 3A to 3D and FIGS. 4A and4B.

FIG. 3A illustrates a search screen 300 displayed on the control panel104 in response to an instruction from the print application 202. Thesearch screen 300 is used to instruct start of a search for a printingapparatus. If a user selects (or touches the touch panel) a search startbutton 301, the mobile terminal 100 starts a search for a printingapparatus. The search for a printing apparatus can be implemented bytransmission of a search packet from the wireless LAN I/F 105 through anaccess point to which the mobile terminal 100 is connected. When thesearch for a printing apparatus starts, the mobile terminal 100 displaysan in-searching screen 310 in FIG. 3B.

FIG. 3B illustrates the in-searching screen 310 displayed on the controlpanel 104 in response to an instruction from the print application 202.The in-searching screen 310 displays a message 312 indicating that asearch for a printing apparatus is being executed. If a user selects aguide screen display button 311, the mobile terminal 100 ends the searchfor a printing apparatus and displays a guide screen 400 in FIG. 4A oran error screen 410 in FIG. 4B. The guide screen 400 and the errorscreen 410 will be described below. If a printing apparatus is found asa result of the search, the mobile terminal 100 displays a search resultscreen 320 as illustrated in FIG. 3C. If no printing apparatus is foundas a result of the search, the mobile terminal 100 displays a searchresult screen 330 as illustrated in FIG. 3D.

The search result screen 320 in FIG. 3C is displayed on the controlpanel 104 in response to an instruction from the print application 202.The search result screen 320 displays a list of identificationinformation (such as a model name or an IP address) of the printingapparatuses found as a result of the search. If a user selects a desiredprinting apparatus and selects an ENTER button 322, the printapplication 202 identifies the printing apparatus selected by the useras a destination of the print job. If the user selects a guide screendisplay button 321, the mobile terminal 100 displays the guide screen400 in FIG. 4A or the error screen 410 in FIG. 4B. The guide screen 400and the error screen 410 will be described below.

The search result screen 330 in FIG. 3D is displayed on the controlpanel 104 in response to an instruction from the print application 202.The search result screen 330 displays a message 332 indicating that noprinting apparatus has been found. If the user selects a guide screendisplay button 331, the mobile terminal 100 displays the guide screen400 in FIG. 4A or the error screen 410 in FIG. 4B. The guide screen 400and the error screen 410 will be described below.

The guide screen 400 in FIG. 4A is displayed on the control panel 104 inresponse to an instruction from the print application 202. The guidescreen 400 is displayed if one of the guide screen display buttons 311,321, and 331 is selected by a user when the mobile terminal 100 connectsto the access point. If no desired printing apparatus has been found asa result of the search, there is a high possibility that the printingapparatus is not present within the wireless LAN network in which themobile terminal 100 is participating. The guide screen 400 displays anSSID 401 of the access point to which the mobile terminal 100 connectsand displays a message 402 prompting a user to connect the printingapparatus to the SSID 401. A user can check the guide screen 400 so thatthe desired printing apparatus can be caused to participate in thewireless LAN network in which the mobile terminal 100 is participating.The guide screen 400 displays a manual check button 403. If a userselects the manual check button 403, the mobile terminal 100 displays amanual that describes an operating procedure for defining a wireless LANsetting for the printing apparatus.

The error screen 410 in FIG. 4B is displayed on the control panel 104 inresponse to an instruction from the print application 202. The errorscreen 410 is displayed if one of the guide screen display buttons 311,321, 331 is selected by a user when the mobile terminal 100 does notconnect to the access point. The error screen 410 displays a message 411prompting a user to connect the mobile terminal 100 to the access point.

Next, processing to be executed by the mobile terminal 100 will bedescribed with reference to FIG. 5. Steps in the flowchart in FIG. 5 areimplemented by a control program stored in the flash memory 103,extracted into the RAM 102, and executed by the CPU 101. The processingillustrated in the flowchart in FIG. 5 is executed when a user selectsone of the guide screen display buttons 311, 321, and 331.

In step S501, the print application 202 determines whether a search fora printing apparatus is being performed. If the search for a printingapparatus is being performed, the processing moves to step S502. If thesearch for a printing apparatus is not being performed, the processingmoves to step S503.

In step S502, the print application 202 ends the search for a printingapparatus.

In step S503, the print application 202 determines whether the mobileterminal 100 is in connection with the access point. The printapplication 202 inquires of the OS 201 whether the mobile terminal 100is in connection with the access point. The print application 202 cancheck a reply to the inquiry from the OS 201 so that the processing instep S503 can be performed. If the mobile terminal 100 is in connectionwith the access point, the processing moves to step S504. If the mobileterminal 100 is not in connection with the access point, the processingmoves to step S505.

In step S504, the print application 202 instructs the OS 201 to displaythe guide screen 400. Under control of the OS 201, the control panel 104displays the guide screen 400. The print application 202 obtains fromthe OS 201 the SSID of the access point to which the mobile terminal 100is connected. The guide screen 400 displays the SSID obtained from theOS 201. A user can check the guide screen 400 to facilitatedetermination on the access point to which the printing apparatus is tobe connected so that a wireless LAN communication can be establishedbetween the mobile terminal 100 and the printing apparatus.

In step S505, the print application 202 instructs the OS 201 to displaythe error screen 410. Under control of the OS 201, the control panel 104displays the error screen 410.

Other Embodiments

Embodiment(s) can also be realized by a computer of a system orapparatus that reads out and executes computer executable instructions(e.g., one or more programs) recorded on a storage medium (which mayalso be referred to more fully as a ‘non-transitory computer-readablestorage medium’) to perform the functions of one or more of theabove-described embodiment(s) and/or that includes one or more circuits(e.g., application specific integrated circuit (ASIC)) for performingthe functions of one or more of the above-described embodiment(s), andby a method performed by the computer of the system or apparatus by, forexample, reading out and executing the computer executable instructionsfrom the storage medium to perform the functions of one or more of theabove-described embodiment(s) and/or controlling the one or morecircuits to perform the functions of one or more of the above-describedembodiment(s). The computer may comprise one or more processors (e.g.,central processing unit (CPU), micro processing unit (MPU)) and mayinclude a network of separate computers or separate processors to readout and execute the computer executable instructions. The computerexecutable instructions may be provided to the computer, for example,from a network or the storage medium. The storage medium may include,for example, one or more of a hard disk, a random-access memory (RAM), aread only memory (ROM), a storage of distributed computing systems, anoptical disk (such as a compact disc (CD), digital versatile disc (DVD),or Blu-ray Disc (BD)'), a flash memory device, a memory card, and thelike.

While exemplary embodiments have been described, it is to be understoodthat the invention is not limited to the disclosed exemplaryembodiments. The scope of the following claims is to be accorded thebroadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications andequivalent structures and functions.

This application claims the benefit of Japanese Patent Application No.2017-100156 filed May 19, 2017, which is hereby incorporated byreference herein in its entirety.

What is claimed is:
 1. A non-transitory computer readable storage mediumfor storing a computer program for causing a computer of a mobileterminal to execute a control method, the control method comprising: anobtaining step of obtaining an SSID of an access point to which themobile terminal is connected; and a screen displaying step ofdisplaying, in accordance with receiving a screen display instructionfor displaying a guide screen for causing a printing apparatus toparticipate in a wireless network in which the mobile terminal isparticipating, the guide screen, wherein the SSID obtained in theobtaining step is displayed in the guide screen.
 2. The non-transitorycomputer readable storage medium according to claim 1, the controlmethod further comprising: an object displaying step of displaying anobject for receiving the screen display instruction, wherein, in thescreen displaying step, the guide screen is displayed in accordance withreceiving the screen display instruction by an operation of the objectdisplayed by the object displaying step.
 3. The non-transitory computerreadable storage medium according to claim 1, the control method furthercomprising: a searching step of searching for connecting with the accesspoint and at least one printing apparatus via the access point inaccordance with receiving a search request from a user, wherein, in theobject displaying step, the object is displayed in a search resultdisplaying screen for displaying at least one printing apparatus foundby searching in the searching step.
 4. The non-transitory computerreadable storage medium according to claim 3, further comprising: aselecting step of selecting a printing apparatus as a destination of aprint job from among the at least one printing apparatus found bysearching in the searching step.
 5. The non-transitory computer readablestorage medium according to claim 2, further comprising a searching stepof searching for connecting with the access point and at least oneprinting apparatus via the access point in accordance with receiving asearch request from a user, wherein, in the object displaying step, theobject is displayed in a notification screen indicating that no printingapparatus is found by searching in the searching step.
 6. Thenon-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 1,the control method further comprising: an error displaying step ofdisplaying an error screen in a case where the mobile terminal is notconnected to an access point when the screen displaying instruction isreceived by an operating of the object displayed in the objectdisplaying step.
 7. The non-transitory computer readable storage mediumaccording to claim 1, wherein a message for prompting a user to selectthe SSID at the printing apparatus in the guide screen.
 8. Thenon-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 1,wherein an object for displaying manual information regarding a settingof a wireless network of the printing apparatus.
 9. A control methodcomprising: an obtaining step of obtaining an SSID of an access point towhich the mobile terminal is connected; and a screen displaying step ofdisplaying, in accordance with receiving a screen display instructionfor displaying a guide screen for causing a printing apparatus toparticipate in a wireless network in which the mobile terminal isparticipating, the guide screen, wherein the SSID obtained in theobtaining step is displayed in the guide screen.
 10. A mobile terminalcomprising: an obtaining unit configured to obtain an SSID of an accesspoint to which the mobile terminal is connected; and a screen displayingunit configured to display, in accordance with receiving a screendisplay instruction for displaying a guide screen for causing a printingapparatus to participate in a wireless network in which the mobileterminal is participating, the guide screen, wherein the SSID obtainedby the obtaining unit is displayed in the guide screen.